Hi Ailicec! Well it depends on the journal, some are faster/slower than others, but if it was going to be rejected outright by the editors they probably would have done it after a month (although it is the holiday season). So it's probably been sent out to review by now. I'm in the same boat really, I submitted 3 papers a few weeks ago and am not expecting them all to be accepted as I also aimed a bit high (if you don't ask, you don't get!), but I'm wondering whether they've been sent out yet. With some journals it's possible to check progress online, and that would probably show you if it's under peer-review or not, but maybe you can't do that with the journal you submitted to? Good luck anyway :) Best, KB

Thanks for your good wishes, all! I am chuffed but difficult to celebrate when the viva is so soon! Just preparing for tomorrow's interview now, then onto viva prep tomorrow. I'm kinda glad I don't have long to wait too, but I could've done with an extra week to prepare!

Hey Sneaks, I know, my usual tendency is to eat lots of sugar when I'm working hard and stressed, the pre-submission-stress-diet is the most effective I've ever tried lol!

Best, KB

Scared- you will not fail, you have already passed! A pass with minor corrections is an excellent result, and the result that most people will be aiming for. Hardly anyone ever gets a straight pass (i.e. without corrections) - it's almost unheard of, at least in my discipline! I have my viva next week and will be delighted if I pass with minor corrections. As long as you do as your examiners have asked then there is no doubt that you will get your PhD. If there was any doubt at all that your thesis was good enough then you would be looking at a revise and resubmit verdict with another viva or an MPhil. Maybe you should go speak to someone in your department who can reassure you that this is an excellent result, and that you have nothing to worry about! Best, KB

Hey all!

After having four copies of my thesis bound this morning and then seeing a typo and having to get it printed and bound again (another 3 times!), I have finally submitted! Managed to get it in a few days early so now have 8 days to prepare for my interview this Wednesday, and my viva next Wednesday!

Quite anxious (have lost over a stone in 7 weeks!) but not as bad as I thought I'd be at this stage. Got a very big week coming up though! Eeeeeek!

Best, KB

Hey Slowmo, congrats! I think getting to interview is half the battle. I've got a second interview at a UK university this week so fingers crossed for both of us! Personally I don't wear a suit- I'm in clinical psychology/mental health and I try to go for a 'smart but approachable' image. But for a government job I definitely think the smart side of smart is a good plan! Loads of luck! KB

I know how you feel Mackem- I've had to review four papers in the last year, all for journals I've had my work published in, and like you twice I was asked to review a paper before I had the reviewers' comments back on mine, and both were really poor :( But I don't believe that the reviews you give will affect the decision on your own paper in any way- that certainly didn't happen in my case, even though I had to recommend rejection for both papers. Luckily the other two I reviewed were much better and I could say nice things about them!

Best, KB

Hey Huhu! Sorry you are feeling so rubbish. My PhD hasn't been lab-based so I can't really advise you on that side of things except to repeat what Dunni said and ask for some support with respect to the problems with hardware. If there are problems with the equipment that you're using then you need to register the problem with someone and make it clear that it is affecting your progress.

I wouldn't worry about the paper too much. I assume it's been accepted with revisions rather than a revise and resubmit verdict?
If it has been accepted (with revisions) then you'll be okay- worst case scenario they'll just ask you to make further amendments, but it's really unlikely they'll change their minds on their decision to accept it. I've never heard of that happening. I also wouldn't worry about the number of reviewers- reviewers for my papers have ranged in number from 1-4, and that wasn't an indication of the status of the journal or the final verdict of the reviewers/editors. Congrats on getting a paper accepted :) Don't worry about your friend either, everyone has their own insecurities and lots of people try to reassure themselves by comparing their perceived progress to others. Just think about your own progress- that's the important thing.

And look after yourself. If you're struggling to sleep etc and feel down then take some steps to try and feel better. Whether that's getting fresh air or exercising, seeing friends or watching some trashy film, whatever it takes then do it. Not for everyone but it can help to talk to a uni counsellor about things- I was seeing my uni counsellor for over 7 years and it pretty much saved my life!

Best, KB

======= Date Modified 30 Jul 2011 13:36:54 =======
I read a paper recently that made me laugh. There was a paragraph describing reasons for dropping out of the study. One sentence reported that an elderly participant had dropped out the study due to 'dropping her glasses and then sitting on them, which subsequently broke the glasses and rendered her unable to continue in the study'. I know it's not funny and detail is the name of the game, but it just seemed a little too much detail! KB

Hey Ninoum. Basically your paper has been given a 'revise and resubmit' verdict, meaning that it hasn't been accepted or rejected. You have been given the chance to make revisions, but the journal is not obliged to accept the paper even after you've revised it. If you send it back revised, either the editor will make the decision whether to accept or reject it, or it may go back to the reviewers again for their comments. I wouldn't feel too disheartened though- I had 'revise and resubmit' verdicts on all of my first four papers, and after revisions they were all accepted. Two were accepted straight away on resubmission by the editor, and the other two went back to the original reviewers for another opinion. I had to make additional revisions to one of the four papers after resubmission.

I also received reviews with irrelevant comments on that reflected a lack of knowledge of the area on the reviewers' part. I even received requests to include literature that is non-existent! I just made all of the changes that seemed reasonable and in my letter to the editor at resubmission I included the reasons why I had not been able to make some of the changes, felt that they were not appropriate/necessary, or that I didn't understand the feedback. As long as you have good reasons for not making a change, you'll be fine.

Good luck- persevere with it and most likely it'll be accepted! KB

Congrats Corinne, fab news! Will be delighted if I get an outcome like that in 10 days! Hope you're celebrating! Best, KB

The message has been PM-ed to various members of the forum (through the forum's own PM system). KB

======= Date Modified 29 Jul 2011 11:28:39 =======
I got one too mate! Well seeing as I have approximately 12 words of my thesis left to write I thought it looked like a valuable offer ;) KB

Not just me then. I don't make a habit of trawling through loads of papers etc, I just have a look online every few days to catch the headlines. Yeah, I was shocked about Amy Winehouse too. Was never a fan of her music particularly but still so sad. I suppose I am a bit more emotional than normal at the moment but even so, you'd have to be made of strong stuff not to get upset by some of the stuff that's going on out there. The Norway thing in particular creeped me out big time.

Thanks Eska, I hope it is like that lol! Had my last supervision today and my sup is happy with what I'm about to submit so fingers crossed!

Also just realised this should be on the 'off-topic' section- just so used to posting in the 'PhD life' section. Sorry mods!

Best, KB

Is it just me or is watching the news/reading a newspaper at the moment completely depressing? I mean I know they're always a bit like that but I honestly can't watch a news programme or read a paper online without something sending shivers down my spine or giving me goosebumps, whether it's some hideous incident like the one in Norway or whether some poor soul has been jailed for defending themselves in their own home in a violent burglary or whatever.

The world is going mad and these stories give me the creeps. Not a relaxing lunchtime activity.
KB

JUst printed my first full copy of my thesis...285 pages at 1.5 spacing, around 85K words. Seems long but easily within word limit of 100K! Best, KB